Device for communicating and monitoring railway tracks and operating method

ABSTRACT

A device for communicating and monitoring railway tracks includes a plurality of communicating and monitoring terminals arranged along the tracks. Each of the terminals includes an image-capturing module, a wireless communicating module that allows for communication between the terminals and with a train, and a module for storing electrical power continuously supplying the image-capturing module and the communicating module. Each terminal also includes a power-generating module for supplying the module for storing electrical power. The power generating module recovers energy from the air displaced by the train running over the railway track. The device permits permanent monitoring by capturing images and makes permanent wireless connections available to the trains.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of pending U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 14/784,709 filed Oct. 15, 2015, which is a 371 national stageapplication of PCT/FR2014/050907 filed Apr. 14, 2014, which claimed thepriority of French Application 1353449 filed Apr. 16, 2013.

FIELD OF APPLICATION OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of railway tracks and in particularto the adaptations that make it possible to provide a communicationsservice to the users of a train and to provide the monitoring of railwaytracks in the best conditions.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

In light of the investments required, the wireless communicationstechnology governed by the standards of the IEEE 802.11 (ISO/CEI8802-11) group (known under the registered trademark of Wi-Fi andhereinafter designated simply under the sign Wi-Fi) is accessible todayonly to a small number of trains via a very expensive connection thatcombines satellite, 3G, Wi-Fi and terrestrial wireless. Suchinstallations cannot be extended to the entire railway track network.

In order to carry out the monitoring of railway tracks and in particularhigh-speed lines, several means are known.

Among these, there is a video surveillance device of which the zones ofinstallation are limited. Indeed, supplying video surveillance stationswith electrical power comes up against several difficulties describedhereinbelow.

Supplying the entire high-speed line via an electrical network is veryexpensive and even impossible as it requires setting up high-to-lowvoltage transformers everywhere with the possibility of a disturbance inthe electric voltage. Electrical power supplied by solar panels with anextension to the entire high-speed line is not a priori possible as itwould require having sunshine guaranteed everywhere and in all weatherconditions.

Electrical power supplied by wind turbines with an extension to theentire high-speed line is also a priori not possible as, as for thepreceding solution, it would require having wind guaranteed everywhereand in all weather conditions.

These difficulties constitute the reason for which this videosurveillance is today limited to stations and to certain zones such astunnels and bridges.

As a supplement to this limited video surveillance, it is known that theoperator of the high-speed lines runs a train called a sweeper eachmorning and before the opening of the high-speed lines, with this trainrunning at a low speed (about 160 or 170 km/h) for the purpose ofverifying the condition of the railway infrastructures and the absenceof obstacles on the tracks.

This surveillance is therefore limited to what can be observed at thisspeed but also at a one-off moment since there is no monitoring of thetrack after the passage of the sweeper train.

Another technical problem with which the implementation of a device formonitoring is confronted with relates to the transmission of data ableto create an alert, the location of its origin and the communication ofit not only to people or to the system in charge of monitoring but alsoto the conductor of the train.

A partial solution is described in document WO2011154347 which proposesa device for monitoring railway tracks comprising a plurality ofmonitoring terminals arranged along the tracks, with each terminal ableto comprise an image-capturing module and means for transmittinginformation from one terminal to another of the information detected bythe image-capturing modules.

Indeed, in order to require only a small amount of energy for thistransmission, this document proposes to have the transmission operateonly

-   -   when an emergency situation is detected,    -   from one terminal to the other,    -   when a vehicle is approaching.

This device and its operating method have for function to propose amonitoring that expends the least amount of power by decreasing thefrequency of the transmissions and the distance of the latter. It is notable to provide in association with the monitoring, a service for makinga communications network available for the users of the train.

This document proposes means for recovering power for the purposes ofsupplying terminals in order to implement said method, but these meansare not designed or adaptable for continuously supplying a network.

Indeed, the wind turbine means such as those described in documentCN201925099 have an optimum output with an air speed between 7 and 10m/s while the speeds of the air flow measured in the vicinity of TGVs isbetween 40 and 50 m/s. At this speed, a conventional wind turbine doesnot have any output or very little. In addition, even at optimum output,the energy demand required by the making available of a permanentcommunications network for the users of the train is such that aconventional wind turbine device is not sufficient

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Observing this, the applicants carried out research aimed at proposing apermanent communications service to the users of a train and improve themonitoring of railway tracks. This research resulted in the design andin the carrying out of an original device, that offers a simple,effective and inexpensive technical solution for continuously monitoringthe railway tracks over their entire length and in order to offercommunication possibilities that can be used not only for the monitoringbut also for the users of the railway track.

According to the invention, this device for communicating and monitoringrailway tracks is remarkable in that it comprises a plurality ofcommunicating and monitoring terminals arranged along the tracks, witheach terminal comprising:

-   -   an image-capturing module,

a wireless communication module enabling communication between terminalsand with the train,

-   -   a module for storing electrical power continuously supplying the        image-capturing module and the communicating module,

a module for supplying the storing module comprising at least one meansfor recovering energy from the air displaced by the trains running overthe railway track,

for the purposes of monitoring through permanent image capturing andmaking permanent wireless connections available to trains.

The invention therefore constitutes an autonomous system for monitoringand communicating railway lines supplied by the recovering of the energylost from the air displaced by trains running over the monitored railwaytrack thanks to a convertor of energy that is actuated not by wind, butby the volume of air that is displaced by the passage of trains.

Indeed, when a train moves, it sets into motion around it a substantialmass of air. The speed of displacement of this mass of air isproportional to the speed of the train. This speed decreases as thedistance from the lateral walls of the train increases, moving towardsthe periphery.

In order to recover the energy contained in this mass of air of whichthe movement is induced by the passing of the train, at least one meansfor recovering energy coming from the displaced air is used for eachterminal.

According to a particularly advantageous characteristic, said means forrecovering is a dynamic air turbine. Such technology is a technologywhich is today used on aircraft as a backup source of power in the eventof a general electric failure. This turbine resists very severe climaticconditions (temperature from −50° C. to +80° C., high wind speed able toreach 200 m/s) and authorizes wind gradients and therefore adapts to thevariations in the air flows. Such a turbine, until now installed onaircraft and not on the ground, is known as a backup wind turbine and asa Ram Air Turbine or RAT.

According to another particular advantageous characteristic, said meansof recovering energy is an air turbine convertor without a propellerthat adopts an electrostatic technology. This technology is particularlyinteresting in the outputs that it proposes and in the little amount ofmaintenance that it requires due to the absence of moving parts.

According to another particular advantageous characteristic, said meansfor recovering energy is a turbine without a propeller.

By positioning in relation to the ground in a judicious manner the meansfor recovering at a certain distance from the lateral walls of the trainand at a certain height in relation to the height of the train, asubstantial quantity of energy is recovered instantly.

The passage of the train over a line sets into motion a certain mass ofair. This mass of air when encountering the means of recovering setsinto rotation the propellers of the turbine when it is provided withthem or sets into motion particles that are electrostatically charged.The rotation of the propellers or the actuating of the convertorproduces direct current and voltage. The energy produced is stored bythe storing module which in turn supplies the camera and thecommunicating module. The device of the invention as such has a means ofpower supply which provides it both with the required power and thedesired autonomy regardless of the weather conditions. According to apreferred embodiment, said turbine is arranged to position its axishorizontally.

It is understood that such a device has a minimal installation andoperating cost with regards to the functionality proposed due to thefact in particular that it is not necessary to create a wired linkbetween the terminals.

In addition to the fact that it is self-powered, such a device has manyadvantages, among the following:

-   -   permanent video surveillance of all of the lines regardless of        the weather and this both day and night,    -   real-time detection of any deterioration in the rails, grid or        catenary linked to malevolent acts, inclement weather or normal        wear and tear over the entire lines,    -   real-time detection of any presence of objects, animals or        people on the rails and catenaries over the entire high-speed        lines,    -   a mapping at any time of the positioning of the high-speed        trains over all of the tracks giving the possibility of        increasing the number of trains placed in circulation.

According to another characteristic, the wireless communicating modulecomprises one or several antennas making it possible to carry out twonetworks:

-   -   a main permanent communications, transfer, data and distribution        network of the images of the image-capturing module via internet        connecting via a wireless connection,

the terminals together,

one or several terminals to at least one internet point of access and atleast one terminal to the train

-   -   an autonomous local temporary network overcoming a failure in        the permanent main network and able to allow for the        distribution of the images captured by the image-capturing means        between each terminal and the train and from one terminal to the        other. The device of the invention as such provides a degraded        operating mode when the main network may have a failure.

In order to allow for setting it up adequately along the tracks, themeans for recovering is linked to a fixed portion integral with theground and in relation to which its position can be adjusted. As such,according to a particularly advantageous characteristic of theinvention, said terminal comprises a mast sealed to the ground providedwith a stem at the end of which is arranged the means for recovering.Likewise, according to other characteristics that are associated or not,said stem has a length that can be adjusted and is linked to the mast insuch a way as to be able to be adjusted in height. These differentpossibilities for adjusting the position of the means for recoveringprevent an excessive precision for the positioning of the masts. Thesedifferent possibilities for adjusting especially make it possible toposition in such a way as to use the air displaced by the train as bestas possible. According to another characteristic, the mast comprises atits upper end, the module for communicating and the image-capturingmodule and, at the low end, a base for sealing to the ground.

According to a preferred embodiment, the railway line provided with thedevice is a high-speed line which allows for a more substantial airdisplacement for the operation of the means for recovering.

In addition, according to another preferred embodiment, the terminalsare arranged at regular intervals.

The image-capturing module can be constituted by any means for acquiringan image. As such, according to an embodiment the image-capturing moduleis constituted by a photographic device. According to anotherembodiment, the image-capturing module is constituted by a camera.

According to a particularly advantageous characteristic, saidimage-capturing module is a long-range thermal camera.

Thermal technology allows the lighting conditions to be overcome. Thelong range makes it possible to provide an interval of great lengthbetween the terminals constituting the monitoring network.

According to another particular advantageous characteristic, the modulefor storing electrical power uses one or several of the followingsolutions:

-   -   electrical batteries,    -   a reversible fuel cell,    -   means of producing and storing compressed air.

This module will enable the storing of the power which is produced onlyon a one-off basis during the passing of the train.

According to another particular advantageous characteristic, thecommunicating module comprises a wireless communicating device of theWi-Fi type which allows for communication between terminals and/or withthe train. In addition to providing a possibility of communication forthe monitoring device, the setting up of a Wi-Fi network in the vicinityof the tracks has many advantages. The device of the invention makeshigh-speed track-to-train permanent Wi-Fi connections (up to 300 MB/s)available to all of the trains running on the lines. Such acharacteristic improves the comfort of all of the passengers with themaking of Wi-Fi connections available to them that can be free for allof the classes. To do this, the train is then provided with a Wi-Ficommunications module.

According to another particularly advantageous characteristic of theinvention, the train is provided with a terminal inside the cockpit onwhich the images recorded by the image-capturing modules are displayed.Such a characteristic makes it possible to consider innovativemonitoring methods consisting in communicating to the terminal theimages deemed suspicious (by comparing with prerecorded images) withtheir geographical location. Of course, the train is then provided witha Wi-Fi communications module.

Likewise, another method consists in continuously communicating to theterminal the images captured by the image-capturing means arrangedupstream and at a distance greater than or equal to the braking distanceof the train. Another method consists in displaying on the terminal of afirst train, the images of another train that preceded it or that istravelling in the opposite direction. Monitoring the railway track doesnot exclude the images captured by the terminals of the railway track atthe time when the other trains pass or those of the trains themselvestravelling on them. The continuous monitoring proposed by the inventionallows for this communication.

An alternative consists in showing the train driver over long distances,the train that preceded it or the train coming in the oppositedirection, which makes it possible to reduce the risk of collisionbetween trains in certain zones of railway tracks. Such methods indeedmake the operation of the railway track networks much safer.

The fundamental concepts of the invention that has just been disclosedhereinabove in their most elementary form, other details andcharacteristics shall appear more clearly when reading the followingdescription and with regard to the annexed drawings, given by way of anon-restricted example, several embodiments of a device in accordancewith the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatical drawing of a front view of an embodiment of adevice in accordance with the invention with a train passing in thevicinity;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatical drawing of a side view of the device of FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatical drawing in perspective of an embodiment of aterminal;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatical drawing of another embodiment of a terminal,

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatical drawing of a front view of another embodimentof a device in accordance with the invention with a train passing in thevicinity.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in the drawings of the figures, the device of the inventionprovides the monitoring of the highspeed line referenced as LGV. Thisdevice has the form of a plurality of monitoring terminals 100 arrangedat regular intervals along the railway track and dividing said LGV lineinto monitoring sections of a defined length.

In accordance with the invention, these terminals 100 comprise:

-   -   a camera 200,    -   a module for storing electrical power 300,    -   a module for producing power 400 supplying the storing module        300, and    -   a wireless communicating module 500 of the Wi-Fi type, referred        to as a Wi-Fi module that authorizes the terminals 100 to        communicate between them.

The terminals are independent and communicate only through the Wi-Finetwork created by the terminals. According to a preferred embodiment,the sections are of two kilometers. Also, the camera is of thelong-range thermal type.

According to a preferred embodiment, said thermal camera is of the verylong range type, has a protective index of the IP67 type, and isprovided with a GPS and a system for geolocating objects that appear inits field of vision with respect to the terminal and an automatictracking and zoom system. These features are managed by a central unit.

The Wi-Fi module forms with those of the other terminals, apoint-to-point Wi-Fi network using very long-range Wi-Fi bridges. Assuch, the Wi-Fi antennas will transmit the images recorded by thecameras of each terminal to each terminal of the line. One of theterminals is advantageously linked to the internet network.

This camera and this Wi-Fi module are continuously supplied with powerby the storage module 300.

In order to supply said storage module 300, the module for supplying 400is constituted by at least one dynamic air turbine which, arranged insuch a way as to be subjected to the air displaced by the air caused bythe displacement of the high-speed train T, produced energy to be storedby the storing module 300. A type of dynamic air turbine that can beused for this type of application is conventionally used on aircraft asa backup source of electricity in the event of a general electricalfailure. This turbine resists very severe climatic conditions(temperature from −50° C. to +80° C., high wind speeds that can reach200 m/s) According to another embodiment not shown, said turbine orturbines are of the type without propellers.

According to a first evaluation, the electrical consumption of theterminal (adding that of the Wi-Fi bridge, the long-range camera,accessories and taking losses into account) is estimated to be 1 KWH perday. However, based on the number of passes of high-speed trains equalto 10 with an average speed of 200 km/h, the electrical energyproduction of the turbine or turbines is evaluated at 2 KWH per day.Such a device therefore largely provides the power required for thefunctions under consideration and makes available a free and ecologicalautonomous power source at any point of the high-speed line.

According to the embodiment shown in the drawing of FIG. 3, the mast 120comprises at its upper end, the module for communicating 500 and thecamera 200 and, at the low end, a base 130 for sealing to the ground.Said terminal 100 is here provided with two turbines 410 and 420 withparallel and horizontal axes of rotation constituting the module forproducing energy 400. These two turbines 410 and 420 are positioned atthe end of a horizontal arm 110 forming a stem in relation to a verticalmast 120 of which the low end is provided with a base 130 that is sealedto the ground and of which the top end receives the antenna 510 of theWi-Fi module and the camera 200.

As shown, in order to use in an optimized way the displacement of theair provoked by the passing of train T the position of the turbines canbe adjusted on the one hand, by adjusting the length of the stem 110 andon the other hand, by the adjusting of the height of the stem along themast 120.

The base 130 also receives a technical rack 131 that contains theelectronic box of the long-range Wi-Fi module, a network switch, acentral unit, and the module for storing electrical power.

According to a preferred embodiment, this storing module 300 isconstituted by batteries. According to another embodiment, this storingmodule is constituted by a reversible fuel cell. According to anotherembodiment, this storing module is constituted of a means for storingcompressed air.

According to the embodiment shown in the drawing of FIG. 4, the terminal100′ comprises a mast 120′ at the top end of which are positioned:

-   -   the antenna 510′ of the long-range Wi-Fi bridge,    -   the long-range thermal camera 200′, and    -   a technical box 140 receiving the electronic box of the        long-range Wi-Fi bridge, a network switch, a central unit.

The low end of the mast 120′ is associated to a base 130′ that receivesthe module for producing energy 400′ constituted by a single turbine430′. This base 130′ also receives the module for storing electricalpower 300′ produced by the turbine 430′.

As shown in the drawing of FIG. 2, the Wi-Fi module enables not only thecommunication between terminals 100 (arrow F1) but also with the train(arrow F2). The connection via the Wi-Fi module is provided by along-range antenna mounted on the train and compatible with the networkon the ground which is a point-to-point network constituted by theterminals 100. Each terminal of the network is geographically identifiedand communicates with the neighboring terminals in order to make itpossible for the train conductor to have a monitoring image librarywithin the critical radius of action with regards to safety. Thisnetwork is not a centralized network. It is a collaborativepoint-to-point network. Each node constituted by each terminal 100 hasan autonomous central unit able to identify the disturbances and alertthe users of the system. The train is itself provided to form acommunication node.

According to an embodiment, the device constitutes a private network ofthe intranet type making it possible to exchange safety information(images, position of the trains, etc.).

According to another embodiment, in order to allow the passengers tohave Wi-Fi access, the network is interconnected to Internet in a“sealed” manner in order to distinguish over this network, the flow ofsafety data encapsulated in encrypted packets and the “general public”flow. The interconnection is carried out by conventional low-costhigh-speed terrestrial connections of the ADSL type installed forexample in the stations, making sure however that high-end services areused with high quality in terms of reliability and with high bandwidth.

In the framework of monitoring, the train is provided with a terminalbuilt inside the cockpit on which the images recorded by the cameras andtransmitted by the Wi-Fi network are displayed. As such, an operatingmethod of the device for monitoring consists in communicating to theterminal the images deemed as suspicious (change in the scene observedcompared to a history library) with their geographical location. Anothermethod consists in continuously communicating to the terminal the imagescaptured by the cameras arranged upstream and at a distance greater thanor equal to the braking distance of the train.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment wherein the means for recovering energy 400″is constituted by an air turbine convertor without propeller that adoptsan electrostatic technology where inside a frame 410″ is created a fieldof charged particles which will be displaced by the air displaced by thetrain.

It is understood that the device and the method, that have just beendescribed and shown hereinabove, were described and shown for thepurposes of disclosure rather than as a limitation. Of course, variousarrangements, modifications and improvements can be made to the examplehereinabove, without however leaving the scope of the invention.

1. A device for communicating with human users of a train and monitoringrailway tracks along a train line, the device being self-powered, thedevice comprising a plurality of communicating and monitoring terminalsarranged at regular intervals along the tracks and dividing the trainline into monitoring sections of a defined length, with each of theterminals comprising: an image-capturing module comprising a long-rangethermal camera configured to monitor trains on the tracks, a wirelesscommunicating module that allows for communication between the terminalsand with the human users of the train, a module configured to storeelectrical power continuously supplying the image-capturing module andthe communicating module, a power-generating module configured to supplypower to the module for storing electrical power comprising a meansconfigured to recover the energy from the air displaced by the trainrunning over the railway track, configured to permanently monitor bycapturing images and making permanent wireless connections and imagesfrom the image capturing module available to the human users of thetrains, the power generating module providing the power required by thecommunicating module and the module for storing electrical power; thedevice further including a terminal built inside the cockpit of thetrain on which the images recorded by the cameras and transmitted by theWi-Fi network are displayed; the plurality of terminals being spacedalong the tracks; wherein the electrical power consumption of eachmodule is about one kilowatt per day.
 2. A device according to claim 1wherein the means of recovering is a dynamic air turbine.
 3. A deviceaccording to claim 1 wherein the means of recovering power is a windturbine converter without a propeller that adopts an electrostatictechnology.
 4. A device according to claim 1 wherein the wirelesscommunicating module comprises an antenna making it possible to carryout two networks: a main permanent communications, transfer, data anddistribution network of the images of the image-capturing module viainternet connecting via a wireless connection, the terminals betweenthem, a terminal to an internet point of access and a at least oneterminal to the train, an autonomous local temporary network overcominga failure in the permanent main network and able to distribute the viewscaptured by the image-capturing means between each terminal and thetrain and from one terminal to the other.
 5. A device according to claim1 wherein the module for storing electrical power comprises: electricalbatteries, reversible fuel cell, or means for producing and storingcompressed air.
 6. A device according to claim 1 wherein the terminalcomprises a mast sealed to the ground provided with a stem at the end ofwhich is arranged the means for recovering.
 7. A device according toclaim 1 wherein the stem has an adjustable length.
 8. A device accordingto claim 1 wherein the stem is linked to the mast in such a way as to beadjustable in height.
 9. A device according to claim 1 wherein themodule for communicating comprises a wireless communicating device ofthe Wi-Fi type that allows for communication between terminals or withthe train.
 10. A device according to claim 1 wherein the turbine is ofthe type without a propeller.
 11. A device according to claim 9 whereinthe train is provided with a terminal built inside the cockpit on whichthe images recorded by the image-capturing modules are displayed.
 12. Adevice according to claim 1 wherein the mast comprises at its top end,the communicating module and the image-capturing module and, at the lowend, a base for sealing to the ground.
 13. An operating method of adevice according to claim 1, the operating method comprisingcommunicating to the terminal, the images deemed as suspicious bycomparison with prerecorded images with their geographical location. 14.An operating method of a device according to claim 1, the operatingmethod comprising continuously communicating to the terminal, the imagescaptured by the image-capturing modules arranged upstream and at adistance greater than or equal to the braking distance of the train. 15.An operating method of a device according to claim 1, the operatingmethod comprising displaying on the terminal of a first train, theimages of another train that preceded it or travelling in the oppositedirection.
 16. A device according to claim 1 wherein the regularintervals are two kilometers in length.
 17. A device according to claim1 wherein the image-capturing module comprise a GPS.
 18. A deviceaccording to claim 1 further comprising Wi-Fi bridges.
 19. A deviceaccording to claim 1 wherein the electrical power consumption of eachterminal is less than the electrical power generation by each module.20. A device according to claim 1 wherein the train is moving.
 21. Adevice according to claim 1 wherein the long-range camera is a thermalcamera.
 22. A device according to claim 1 wherein the train is a TGVtrain.